British firm acquiring North America’s second-largest sushi restaurant brand with more than 600 locations

YO! Sushi, the U.K.-based restaurant group, confirmed Monday its deal to acquire Canada’s Bento Sushi for 100 million Canadian dollars ($78.3 million) in a bid to expand in North America.

The deal represents an aggressive move for growth in the casual-dining market as both companies seek greater scale and access to new customers. The Wall Street Journal first reported the transaction earlier Monday.